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Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Shengsheng, She’s Even More Formidable Than Me
Still talking with the headteacher, another call came in.
The caller ID displayed a strange number, and he didn’t know who it was.
In this situation, he could either hang up the current call and answer the new one,
or continue the current call and let the incoming caller wait.
Since he was almost done talking with Zhou Wu, Lu Sheng directly said, "I apologize, Mr. Zhou, I have another call coming in that I need to take."
"I indeed won’t participate in this special recruitment examination. My calf has recovered well, so I can return to school on Wednesday and take the regular exams on Thursday."
"Alright, Lu Sheng, since you have decided, I respect your decision," upon hearing Lu Sheng say this, Zhou Wu said, "Then we’ll see each other on Wednesday."
Thus, Lu Sheng hung up Zhou Wu’s call, ready to answer that unknown call.
——
Ever since Lu Sheng’s class teacher called, none of the people at the table touched their chopsticks anymore; they all pricked up their ears listening to Zhou Wu’s words on speakerphone.
It was also through the phone call that Lu Jingyan and others learned about Shengjing holding a special recruitment examination.
When they heard about the special recruitment examination which could exempt the first-place winner from the college entrance exam and allow them to choose any major at either Beijing University or Qing University, both Jiang Ting and Lu Jingyan, as parents, couldn’t help but be strongly tempted.
Qing University and Beijing University are the top universities in China and also rank highly among universities worldwide. These two universities have similar overall strengths, but differ in their top-ranked majors and disciplines.
Every year, over ten million students nation-wide take the college entrance exam, yet combined, these two universities only admit a couple thousand students through the regular college entrance exam.
This means, the few available spots are distributed to just a few dozen or a hundred students per province.
These are the top national rankers from each province, the veritable best of the best, not an overstatement to say they are dragons among men.
Students who are admitted to Beijing University and Qing University, or graduates from these schools, only need to mention their institution to gain immense respect and admiration.
There is no absolute fairness in the world, and the college entrance exam is already considered one of the fairest opportunities.
It provides everyone with an equal chance—regardless if one is from a poor rural background or a wealthy and influential family. Everyone wishing to enter a domestic university must equally endure this test.
Students from humble backgrounds see the college entrance exam as their only opportunity to change their lives and leap across social classes, naturally resulting in their utmost effort.
As for families like the Lu Family and Fu Family, although they don’t have the pressure of altering their fates—after all, even if their children don’t perform well, they can afford to send them overseas for study.
Which parent wouldn’t want their child to excel academically and be admitted to the nation’s top universities on their own merits?
Families can’t rely on money or connections to secure a place at Beijing University or Qing University.
Thus, for wealthy families, having a child admitted to these universities would indeed be a cause for grand celebration.
This would bring more pride to them than any talent or money their children could earn, even allowing them to walk proudly in high society.
Among Jiang Ting’s five sons, except for Lu Youye, none are bad at studying.
Lu Jingyan studied finance abroad, Lu Siyan was in medical school abroad, and Lu Ziye attended the nation’s top-ranked art school.
Not to mention Lu Youming, an undeniable genius. Since kindergarten, through elementary to high school, he had never ranked second in any exam, big or small.
As for Lu Youye...
He is not dumb.
It’s just that he has been playful and uninterested in studying since childhood, and Jiang Ting and Lu Jingyan who dote on this youngest son and brother, didn’t want to be overly demanding with him, planning eventually to send him abroad for university.
But unexpectedly, ever since Lu Sheng arrived, Lu Youye seemed like a different person when it came to studying, becoming incredibly driven.
Now, they also have Lu Sheng.
Initially, Jiang Ting and Lu Jingyan thought that since Lu Sheng had been studying in a rural area before, lacking educational resources compared to Jiang City, Lu Sheng would struggle to keep up at Shengjing.
Unexpectedly, Lu Sheng topped the start-of-year exam at Shengjing, entering Class A and scoring full marks in all subjects except composition.
This is not something ordinary people can achieve, nearly as genius as Lu Youming!
With such a special recruitment exam opportunity, how could they miss it?
Yet, to everyone at the table’s surprise, Lu Sheng refused the opportunity without a second thought.
——
After hanging up on Zhou Wu, Lu Sheng prepared to answer the unknown call.
However, maybe because the caller had been waiting a bit long, as soon as Lu Sheng pressed the answer button, the other party hung up first.
Thus, Lu Sheng also put down her phone for the time being.
As she looked up, she saw all the people sitting around the table staring intently at her.
"Shengsheng, your teacher mentioned this special recruitment examination, why don’t you want to participate?"
Jiang Ting couldn’t hold her peace, sounding a bit anxious. "Your grades are so good, it’s such a pity to miss this opportunity."
"If you get selected, not only do you avoid the gaokao, but you can also choose your own major, which is much more secure and less stressful than the gaokao."
After Jiang Ting had spoken, Lu Siyan also looked up.
"Shengsheng," his gaze steady, he asked, "Do you not want to participate because Youming is also enrolled?"
Lu Siyan, usually a man of few words, always seemed to see through Lu Sheng’s thoughts.
Hearing her second son put it this way, Jiang Ting realized.
Indeed, there’s only one spot, and only the first-place winner will be selected.
If Shengsheng and Youming both participate, wouldn’t that mean competing with her own brother for that spot?
Jiang Ting knew Lu Sheng was smart, but she didn’t know that Lu Sheng was actually even more formidable than Lu Youming.
Ever since childhood, her fourth son’s intelligence dominated everyone around him. In Jiang Ting’s view, she hadn’t yet seen anyone smarter than Lu Youming.
Then Jiang Ting immediately said, "No, Shengsheng."
"Your Fourth Brother can get into the mathematics department at Qing University even through regular gaokao, but it’s not a guarantee for you. If you can secure the first place in this special examination and get into Beijing University without testing, that’s much more secure."
As Jiang Ting reached for her phone, she spoke with a firm tone, "Let’s do this! I’ll speak with your class teacher and ask him to withdraw Fourth Brother’s application. You should take the exam."
If outsiders heard this, they might think Lu Sheng was the biological child and Lu Youming was adopted.
Lu Youming also looked towards Lu Sheng.
Actually, Lu Youming hadn’t signed up for the special recruitment himself.
He was just taking a break outside during the class, and when he returned, Han Jing had already filled out the application form for him and had submitted it.
Hearing what his mother said, Lu Youming was silent for a second before speaking, "...Mom, although it doesn’t really matter to me whether I sign up or not, I need to correct one idea of yours."
"Shengsheng, she is even more capable than I am, smarter than me."
"If we must say, between the two of us, who is relatively less stable for the gaokao. That person should be me."
